Kota Beach Resort: Traveler Review

Kota Beach is situated in the north of Cebu, on the island of Bantayan, Barangay Sta. Fe. To get there from the Cebu City, you take a three hour bus ride from the NorthBus Terminal then a 45 minute ferry. Yes, its kind of grueling to get there (specially the long bus ride) but super worth it. Thinking about it, the trip to Sta Fe is the same time I take going to Makati from my house during bad traffic. Not bad, eh?

Because I am me, I researched Kota Beach before going there, of course, and to be honest the bad reviews of the resort really scared me. I mean there were complaints about the room being old, the food being slow, the staff being rude, and so on and so forth. So really, I was kind of dreading it and keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll enjoy the stay.

I’d like to say that when I got there, my fears were totally wrong. It was AMAZING! The beach was absolutely stunning. I mean, woooow! The stretch of Kota Beach’s shore was long, the staff were super friendly, and did I mention the really really reeeeaaally awesome beautiful beach?

Room

We got the beach front room. If you check their website they have three kinds of beach front rooms, the first row, second, and third. We got the first row one and it’s just a-ma-ziiiing.

Our room was just perfect with a veranda, view, and and great space. The room was clean, maintained, and wasn’t cramped. It isn’t really a room, it’s more of a little private bungalow. The wall of the room we stayed in facing the beach was made of glass (with tint and curtains for privacy) where you can enjoy lying comfortably on the bed.

Each side of the bed has an outlet for your charging needs, on the wall opposite the bathroom are more outlets! I love that there is a long ledge on the side of the room. It makes dumping all my stuff easy! Haha!

Inside the room is also a mini-fridge. I buy sodas and alcohol outside the resort and cool it there. At night, I spend it outside my bungalow’s private veranda and drink, looking towards the ocean. Thinking about it makes me want to go back ASAP!

Beach

Pristine clean waters and fine sand! That’s definitely Kota Beach’s shore. There are a lot of rocky places a few meters from the shore so be careful. It isnt optimal for snorkeling though. The sea is breaming with life, but tends to be too shallow for snorkeling. During low tide, the shore line reveals so much amazing stuff in the water. Because it’s super clear, I didn’t need an underwater camera to capture awesome finds.

Recently, they added a few nice touches on their long shore. Now there are cemented and covered lounges with reclining chairs and matching tables for your enjoyment! I loved it!

Service

On a lower note, the dining staff was slow. I think they were very understaffed in that area. But, they were really nice. We even once asked the kitchen to reheat clams we bought from an outside vendor and not only did they reheat it, they also added cheese and salt so it became 500 times yummier!

Food

The food wasn’t as expensive as usual resort food rates, but comparatively to the restaurants and bars outside the resort (think a 5 minute walking distance), it was near double the price. However! Their food was good and serving quite large.

Rates

The rates of course are subject to change without prior notice. Some days, the prices are super low because it’s off peak. Some times, it gets quite pricey with the hotels being booked to the brim. I suggest you take a look at this for the updated pricing!

Pro-tips

It’s sometimes cheaper to book the through the resort than going outside and looking for a tour there.

Beach front cottages are the most price-worthy. Book early as it fills up really quickly.

Contact Kota Beach right after booking to secure a transfer from the port to the resort and vice versa for free!

Use and keep the water filled tabo from the bathroom to clean your feet before entering the room to avoid icky sandy floors.

Aside from the I-am-crying-it’s-so-amazing beach and the I-don’t-want-to-go-anywhere-else-any-more room, Kota Beach helped us arrange an island hopping tour for only Php800. They also had arranged a masseuse come up our room. Instead of us having to look for a massage place, we just stayed in and had the most relaxing time. It was really great!

I was really sad to go and I vowed to return to this resort. Right now, it’s one of my absolute favorites.

*Updated 14 Nov 2016 with more details about the room and the beach of Kota Beach Resort. Added pro-tips.